Call To Worship
Worship
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
At a time when Israel, God's people, had been through trauma and horror, God sent Isaiah the prophet to speak to them. Let's listen to God's words as they come to us from Isaiah chapter 40:1-8.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; [He is coming] make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
Call To Worship (Isaiah 40:1-8)
Leader: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
People: Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
Leader: That her hard service has been completed,
People: That her sin has been paid for,
Leader: That she has received from the Lord's hand
People: Double for all her sins.
Leader: A voice of one cries: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord;
People: Make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Leader: Every valley shall be raised up,
People: Every mountain and hill made low;
Leader: The rough ground shall become level,
People: The rugged places a plain.
Leader: And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
People: And all mankind together will see it.
Leader: For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
People: A voice of one says, "Cry out."
Leader: And I said, "What shall I cry?"
People: "All men are like grass,
Leader: And all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
People: The grass withers and the flowers fall,
Leader: Because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
People: Surely the people are grass
Leader: The grass withers and the flowers fall,
People: But the word of our God stands forever."
Call To Worship (Isaiah 40:1-8)
(Here is a more contemporary translation that might be better suited to your circumstances. This is no scholarly translation. It is simply my attempt to modernize the language a bit.)
Leader: Comfort my people, says the Lord
People: Speak lovingly to those I love
Leader: And tell them that their time of pain has passed,
People: And their sin has been paid for.
Leader: A voice cries: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord;
People: Make a highway through the wilderness for our God.
Leader: Fill in the valleys,
People: Bring down the mountains;
Leader: Smooth over the rough terrain,
People: So that God's glory can be revealed,
Leader: And every human being will see it,
People: For God has spoken."
Leader: A voice says, "Shout to the earth."
People: And I said, "What shall I shout?"
Leader: Shout this, "Humanity is like grass,
People: The best of humanity is like the flowers,
Leader: The grass withers, and the flowers die,
People: When the breath of God blows over them.
Leader: Yes, humanity is like grass.
People: The grass withers, and the flowers die,
Leader: But the word of our God lasts forever."
People: Amen.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; [He is coming] make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
Call To Worship (Isaiah 40:1-8)
Leader: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
People: Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
Leader: That her hard service has been completed,
People: That her sin has been paid for,
Leader: That she has received from the Lord's hand
People: Double for all her sins.
Leader: A voice of one cries: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord;
People: Make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Leader: Every valley shall be raised up,
People: Every mountain and hill made low;
Leader: The rough ground shall become level,
People: The rugged places a plain.
Leader: And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
People: And all mankind together will see it.
Leader: For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
People: A voice of one says, "Cry out."
Leader: And I said, "What shall I cry?"
People: "All men are like grass,
Leader: And all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
People: The grass withers and the flowers fall,
Leader: Because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
People: Surely the people are grass
Leader: The grass withers and the flowers fall,
People: But the word of our God stands forever."
Call To Worship (Isaiah 40:1-8)
(Here is a more contemporary translation that might be better suited to your circumstances. This is no scholarly translation. It is simply my attempt to modernize the language a bit.)
Leader: Comfort my people, says the Lord
People: Speak lovingly to those I love
Leader: And tell them that their time of pain has passed,
People: And their sin has been paid for.
Leader: A voice cries: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord;
People: Make a highway through the wilderness for our God.
Leader: Fill in the valleys,
People: Bring down the mountains;
Leader: Smooth over the rough terrain,
People: So that God's glory can be revealed,
Leader: And every human being will see it,
People: For God has spoken."
Leader: A voice says, "Shout to the earth."
People: And I said, "What shall I shout?"
Leader: Shout this, "Humanity is like grass,
People: The best of humanity is like the flowers,
Leader: The grass withers, and the flowers die,
People: When the breath of God blows over them.
Leader: Yes, humanity is like grass.
People: The grass withers, and the flowers die,
Leader: But the word of our God lasts forever."
People: Amen.
